Scaffold supporting structure



Jan. 3, 1961 H. A. IRELAND SCAFFOLD SUPPORTING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 IN V EN TOR. Hansen-r AlaeLAuo.

)7? ATTOEMBCS Jan. 3, 1961 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 H, A. IRELAND SCAFFOLD SUPPORTING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fla: '22

INVENTOR.

HERBERT AIEELAND ATTORNEYS 2,966,957 SCAFFOLD SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Herbert A. Ireland, 3 Daniel St., Somersworth, N.H.

Filed Jan. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 708,088 3 Claims. Cl. 182-224) The preent invention relates to 'a supporting structure for a scafiold.

An object of the present invention is to provide a scaffold supporting structure which lends itself to ready and rapid assembly and disassembly, one sturdy in construction and of simple structure, and one which is economically feasible. H

Another object of the present invention is to provide a scaffold supporting structure which may be collapsed to a relatively small package easy to carry and to store, one which may be adjusted for mounting a scaffold over uneven ground, and one which is highly effective in action. a i V v These and other objects and advantages of thepresent invention will be fully apparent from th e following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a pair of the supporting structures according to the present invention shown in a position supporting a plank scaifold,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of ure Figure3 is an isometric view on a reduced scale of the assembly shown in Figure 2 with the plank scaffold removed therefrom, V

Figure 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing thesupporting structure in erected or expanded position,

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of the assembly shown in Figure 4 shown in a folded condition, and

Figure 6 is an isometric'fragmentar y view showing the foot on one end of the post or leg of the present invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the scaffold supporting structure of the present invention is shown'in duplicate inFig'u're l and designated by the reference numeral 10. The scaffold supporting structure 10 includes a horizontally disposed timber supporting bar or member 12 having a rubber anchoring foot 14 on one end adapted to bear against an upright wall. The member '12 includes an inner rod 16 and an outer tubular member 18 telescopically arranged so that the member 12 'is extensile and retractile and is secured in any position of its "adjusted 'extensile orretractile movement by means of a set screw 20.

A pair of posts 22 and 24 are arranged in an upwardly converging direction and are positioned below the member 12 adjacent the end of the member 12 remote from the foot 14. The lower end of each of the posts 22 and 24 is provided with a foot 26 having holes herein for the receipt of a pin, shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and designated by the reference numeral 28, when the feet 26 engage a ground surface.

A pair of standards 30 and 32 are arranged in an upwardly converging direction and are telescopingly mounted upon the posts 22 and 24, respectively, so that the portions adjacent the diverging ends are slidably received nited States Patent the standards 2 on the portions adjacent the converging ends of the posts 22 and 24.

A portion of the outer the foot 14 is received the standards 30 and 32.

Means is provided pivotally connecting the portion of the tubular member 18 which is between the converging ends of the standardsfit) and 32 to the standards 30 and 32 for swinging movement of the member 12 from the horizontal position shown in Figure 2 to a position in which the member 12 is b etween the standards 30 and 32 with one end of'the member 12 spaced below the upper ends of'the standards 30 and 32 and with the pivotally connected endportion ofthe'tubular member 18 projecting upwardly between the upper 'end of the standards 30 and 32. Specifically this means consists in a transversely arranged bolt or shaft 34 having a large head on each end"ther'eof and projecting from each side of the tubular member 18 inwardly of the end remote from the foot 14. The heads of the shaft 34, designated by the reference numeral 36 in Figure 4, are received betubular member 18 remote from between the converging ends of bind he bifurcated long legs 38 of L-shaped brackets '40 which project from the standards 30 and 32 and constitute cooperatingbpposed pairs of attaching elements arranged in'spaced'relation along the standards 30 and 32 between the converging and diverging ends of the standards 30, and 32.

'Rungs and 44are positioned between and detachably secured to the other opposed pairs of attaching elements 'or bra'ckets 40 on the standards 30 and 32 "as 4 Each of suchrungs has a headed 'shj 'wnin Figure jolt-or'sh'aft46projecting-from each end engageablein the long leg of the respective bracket 40.

"Other rungs 46,"48"a'nd 50 extend between the posts 22 and 24 and have hooks on their ends receivable in holes provided in the posts 22 and 24, the holes in such posts constitutingcooperating opposedpairs of attaching elementsarr'anged in'spaced relation along the posts. One such hook isshown in Figure 1 with the cooperating hole shown-inthe post 24, the book being designated by the reference numeral 52 and the hole by the reference numeral 54. A 'bra ce bar'5 6 is arranged in an upwardly sloping direction and is positioned below the supporting member '12 and has its upper end'pivotally connected to a bifurcatedlug 5 8 "depending'from the outer tubular member '13 inwardly of the end having the set screw 20. The lower end er the braee'bar"56 hasan inverted U-shape'd sad- "dle' member 60 which rests upon and loosely embraces the one rung 42 wlien the' latter is positioned between "30 and 32'and supported in the respective brackets tltl.

In use,the scaffold supporting structures it) are arranged in parallel spaced'relation adjacent an upright wall 6 2 and planks 64are laid over the members 12-for thefsu'pport thereon of individuals employed in working on. the wall orroof of'a building. 'With the rungs removed from the posts and standards, the posts maybe Withdrawn intothe standards, there beingLpr'ovide'd' Set screws 66 for securing the posts in the standards in any position of their adjusted movement relative to each other. When the posts have been telescoped within the standards and the st ndards moved to the parallel spaced position shown in Figure 5, the brace bar 56 may be swung forwardly to a position between the standards and to a position having one end upwardly of the upper ends of the standards. In this position the inner rod 16 is retracted within the tubular member 18 and the member 18 is swung to a position between and parallel with the standards, or the tubular member 18 may be entirely disconnected from the standards and transported separately.

While only a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, other embodiments are contemplated and numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a scaffold supporting structure, a horizontally disposed timber supporting member having one end adapted to bear against an upright wall, a pair of standards arranged in an upwardly converging direction positioned below said supporting member with the portion adjacent the other end of said supporting member received between the converging ends of said standards, means pivotally connecting said other end portion of said supporting member to the converging ends of said standards, cooperating opposed pairs of attaching elements arranged in spaced relation along said standards between the converging ends and the diverging ends of said standards, a rung detachably secured to each of said opposed pairs of attaching elements, and a brace bar arranged in an upwardly sloping direction positioned below said supporting member and having the upper end pivotally connected to a bifurcated lug carried by the midportion of said supporting member and having on the lower end a U-shaped saddle member adapted to loosely embrace and rest upon one of said rungs, said standards being movable from the upwardly converging direction position, upon removal of said rungs, to a position in which they are in a spaced upright direction, and said supporting member being shiftable from the horizontal position, when said standards are in the spaced upright direction position, to a position in which it is between said standards with said one end spaced below the upper ends of said standards, the pivotally connected end portion projecting upwardly between the upper ends of said standards, and the brace bar having the portion adjacent the other end projecting upwardly and above the upper end of said standards.

2. In a scaffold supporting structure, a horizontally disposed extensile and retractile timber supporting bar, an anchoring foot on one end of said bar adapted to bear against an upright wall, a pair of standards arranged in an upwardly converging direction positioned below said supporting member with the portion adjacent the other end of said supporting member received between the converging ends of said standards, means pivotally connecting the said other end portion of said supporting member to the converging ends of said standards, cooperating opposed pairs of attaching elements arranged in spaced relation along said standards between the converging ends and the diverging ends of said standards, a rung detachably secured to each of said opposed pairs of attaching elements, and a brace bar arranged in an upwardly sloping direction positioned below said supporting member and having the upper end pivotally connected to a bifurcated lug carried by the midportion of said supporting member and having on the lower end a U-shaped saddle member adapted to loosely embrace and rest upon one of said rungs, said standards being movable from the upwardly converging direction position, upon removal of said rungs, to a position in which they are in a spaced upright direction, and said supporting member being shiftable from the horizontal position, when said standards are in the spaced upright direction position, to a position in which it is between said standards with said one end spaced below the upper ends of said standards, the pivotally connected end portion projecting upwardly between the upper ends of said standards, and the brace bar having the portion adjacent the other end projecting upwardly and above the upper end of said standards.

3. In a scaffold supporting structure, a horizontally disposed timber supporting member having one end adapted to bear against an upright wall, a pair of posts arranged in an upwardly converging direction positioned below said supporting member adjacent the other end of said supporting member, the lower end of each of said posts being adapted to engage a ground surface contiguous to said upright wall, a pair of standards arranged in an upwardly converging direction mounted upon said posts so that the portions adjacent the diverging ends are slidably received on the portions adjacent the converging ends of said posts with the portion adjacent the other end of said supporting member received between the converging ends of said standards, means carried by each of said standards and detachably engageabie with the portions adjacent the converging ends of said posts for holding the standards in any selected position of movement of said posts, means pivotally connecting said other end portion of said supporting member to the converging ends of said standards, cooperating opposed pairs of attaching elements arranged in spaced relation along said standards between the converging ends and the diverging ends of said standards, a rung detachably secured to each of said opposed pairs of attaching elements, and a brace bar arranged in an upwardly sloping direction positioned below said supporting member and having the upper end pivotally connected to a bifurcated lug carried by the midportion of said supoprting member and having on the lower end a U-shaped saddle member adapted to loosely embrace and rest upon one of said rungs, said standards being movable from the upwardly converging direction position, upon removal of said rungs, to a position in which they are in a spaced upright direction, and said supporting member being shiftable from the horizontal position, when said standards are in the spaced upright direction position, to a position in which it is between said standards with said one end spaced below the upper ends of said standards, the pivotally connected end portion projecting upwardly between the upper ends of said standards, and the brace bar having the portion adjacent the other end projecting upwardly and above the upper end of said standards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 497,712 Eichelberger May 16, 1893 799,782 Ellinger Sept. 19, 1905 1,711,328 Russell Apr. 30, 1929 2,130,456 Engman Sept. 20, 1938 2,272,957 Walp Feb. 10, 1942 2,325,592 Delger Aug. 3, 1943 2,662,716 Lowrey Dec. 15, 1953 

